A New Chapter
by CanadianReba
Summary: Voyager makes it back to Earth, and Kathryn allows herself to live a normal life.


**A NEW CHAPTER – Secret Santa 2011**

As she sat in her chair on the Bridge Kathryn couldn't feel anything but pride for her crew. Looking to her left she saw Chakotay looking back at her and smiling. He didn't need words to show her how he felt about this moment. Blinking once she gave him a smile back that reached to her eyes.

"We're in visual range Captain." Harry Kim's words caused her heart to beat a little faster. She swallowed and took a breath. "On screen" she orders and seconds later the most beautiful view filled the screen before her, causing the entire Bridge to fall silent. She heard a few sniffles around her but ignored them, understanding their feelings completely. Slowly she stood up and walked forward to the railing, staring intently at the blue sphere with swirling white clouds around it. "Mr. Paris," Tom turns in his seat to look at Kathryn. As much as he loved his wife and newborn daughter he wouldn't miss this moment for anything. She looked directly at him and smiled proudly. "Bring us home."

He returned the smile as he turned back to the console, punching in the buttons with ease. "Aye aye captain." Turning around she sat back down, her back tall and straight, and crossed her legs.

Three hours later Kathryn stood in the transporter room of Voyager with Chakotay on her left and Tuvok on her right. Seven, Tom, B'Elanna & Miral and Harry filled the rest of the places. Hoisting a young blonde child on her hip a little higher Kathryn lifted her chin slightly and in her most captain-like voice gave Voyager her final order. "Computer, energize!"

After the fuss and commotion from the media of their arrival, everyone was ushered into a large room where they could finally get their first chance to see their immediate family again after 7 long years. Kathryn couldn't stop smiling as she watched all the different people meet, especially Mr. & Mrs. Kim. The little girl in her arms was crying, frightened by all the commotion. "I want to go home mommy" she sobbed as her little arms clung tightly to Kathryn's neck.

"You are Sasha." Kathryn kisses her daughter's golden haired head and rubbed her back. "Earth is our home now."

"I don't like it here!" Her sobs continued but Kathryn was unable to console her. She stood looking for her mom who she knows would be here. She is about to go ask if someone has seen Gretchen when the familiar voice was heard above all others around her. Gretchen Janeway is rushing towards her at warp speed. Kathryn wants so desperately to do the same thing but that would be very un-captain like.

"Want me to take her?" a male voice asks, already pulling the child away from Kathryn, causing Sasha to cry harder. "You go with Commander Chakotay" she tells Sasha. When she has turned back around Gretchen is only 3 feet away. "MOM!" she cries out not caring about anything else. She literally runs those 3 steps and with tears running down her cheeks she throws her own arms around Gretchen's neck and clings to the elderly woman, afraid to let go. They both sob as the floodgates of emotion and reality burst open.

Eventually they are able to pull themselves apart from each other and when they do Kathryn feels her heart skip a beat as she looks over her mom's shoulder. "Mark." She hadn't expected him to come but seeing him here now, she's glad he did.

"Welcome home Kath" was all he said before hugging her too.

As he put his arms around her she was thrown back in time to the day she had left for the penal colony to speak with Tom. That was the last time she had held him. "Mommy" Sasha's voice breaks through the reverie as does the tugging on Kathryn's uniform jacket. Bending over Kathryn picks her up.

"Hi" Mark greets with a smile.

"Hi" she answers back in a soft shy voice.

"Who's this Kath?"

"This is Sasha...our daughter." Kathryn watches his face to see if he would catch the message behind her words.

"Our daughter?"

Kathryn nods her head slowly. She wasn't exactly sure how he would react to what she was about to say next. "You're a father Mark. Sasha's your daughter." He doesn't say anything, instead he faints.

"Kathryn what did you to do him?" Chakotay asks coming up to her.

"Nothing. I just told him that Sasha is his daughter."

"I think we better go. Come on." He takes her arm and guides her away from the unconscious man on the floor.

Kathryn is humming to herself as she hangs party decorations on the porch of her mother's house. There is a large white tent set up in the yard with a few presents sitting on a table inside it. "Is it time for my party yet mommy?"

"No Sasha, not for another hour."

"An _hour?_"

"Yes. How about you help me hang these pictures?"

"Okay." Twenty minutes later Sasha notices someone walking along the dirt pathway that runs from the road up to the house. Her face lights up and she drops the decoration she is holding as she flies down the front stairs and runs as fast as she can, yelling out "CHAKOTAAAAYYYY!" When she reaches him she leaps into his arms and hugs him tight. "It's my birthday party today."

"I know it is. That's why I'm here. You know I wouldn't miss it."

"I've missed you so much. Mommy does too, I heard her telling Grandma."

"She said she misses me huh?"

"Yep." They walk back to the porch together. "I hope it's alright that I came a little early. The transport shuttle didn't take as long as I thought."

"Sasha get down off him. You don't need carrying."

"It's alright Kathryn." Chakotay let the girl down then climbed up the stairs. "How are you doing?"

"I'm fine."

"I'm sorry I haven't kept in touch very much lately. I told you I would call every day."

"We've both been busy adjusting to real life again. I understand."

"It's still no excuse." They stand there in comfortable silence finishing putting up the last minute things. The happy squeals and shouts coming from Sasha tells them the rest of the guests have started to arrive.

"I hope you don't mind me coming Kath." Mark accepts her hug welcomingly.

"Of course not Mark. She's your daughter; you have every right to be here."

The rest of the afternoon is filled with games, swimming, barbecued food and catching up with each other. Around 1600 hours the party begins to end and people start leaving. Sasha makes sure she thanks everyone for coming and even gives Mark a big hug, much to Kathryn's happiness. "Mommy can Naomi sleep over tonight?"

"Not tonight sweetheart. Perhaps another day." Sasha pouts and turns, crossing her arms in front of her chest. "But it's my birthday."

"And I am still your mother saying not tonight." Kathryn leaves Sasha to sit and pout while she helps her mom and Chakotay clean up the yard and tent area. When they are all finished Gretchen smiles and says to Chakotay, "Why don't you and Kathryn take a walk around the property while I make some drinks for everyone?"

"Chakotay doesn't really drink mom."

"He doesn't have to if he doesn't want to then." Chakotay smiles in amusement. "That would be wonderful, thank you."

"Very well, run along then." Gretchen is practically shoving the two adults out the door.

"Well where do you want to start?" Kathryn asks.

"How about your favourite secret place when you were a child?"

"The climbing tree?"

"Ya." Together they walk in silence for a short time. "So do you have any plans now that you're back from visiting your sister?" Kathryn finally asks.

"Well I was going to visit with you and Sasha for a few days then I was going to talk to the Dean of admissions at the Academy and see about maybe getting on as an instructor in the archaeology department.

"That would be nice. I know Sasha would enjoy the visit."

"Sasha's not the one I want to spend most of my time with during the visit Kathryn." They stop walking and turn to face each other. The mid July sun is low on the horizon, casting a deep golden glow on the coin fields and tall plains grass around them. When it shone on her hair it makes the red tint turn the most amazing colour Chakotay has ever seen. Almost the colour of burnt sienna.

Chakotay…" she starts to protest but suddenly looking at him in the same evening light, deep reds and oranges adding to the already gold colour, it hits her how much she really has missed him over the past 3 weeks since the debriefings at headquarters ended. If there was ever a more perfect moment for him Chakotay didn't want to wait any longer for it. Taking a step closer he cups Kathryn's face with one of his dark, big bronzed hands. He gazes into her blue eyes deeply, almost as if he were hypnotized by them. "Kathryn I never knew how much I need you in my life until I was at my sister's. I don't want to go another single day without being with you, seeing you or even talking to you. You complete me Kathryn Janeway and I was a fool to try and think otherwise." Before she can say anything in reply he pulls her towards him until their bodies are almost touching and he leans down kissing her lips.

Kathryn is expecting this moment to end any second and she'll wake up to find herself alone in her bed on Voyager still, just like every other time she's had this dream end. As his lips move against hers and his other hand rests on her waist she realizes this is no dream this time. This moment is actually happening.

They continue to kiss as the sun disappears and dusk turns to twilight as they lay on the ground, hidden by the tall grass. "Should we be doing this?" she asks breathlessly as he kisses her neck and runs his hand up her leg, pushing the bottom of her summer dress up higher.

"Do you want me to stop?" His shirt is already unbuttoned, allowing her hand to move more freely beneath the fabric. His mouth moves down her neck and throat with each word until he hits the fabric at the top of her dress.

The last time Kathryn has felt anything similar to this was over a year ago with Jaffen and even that wasn't the same. Chakotay has managed to undo the top button of her dress with his mouth and he's working on the second one. Feeling that one release makes her mind up and she hears herself answering, "no." A third button undoes then a fourth. There is only one more button left and then she will be exposed to him. Her hands move to the waistband of his pants and she is surprised to see how easily the fabric moves. Bringing her hand around to the front she understands why immediately: he has undone them. "Oh Chakotay!" she exclaims as she reaches inside and wraps a hand around him. He is firm and quite thick, larger than she had expected. He lets out a groan as she strokes him. Pulling down the front of her panties he reaches in and down until his fingers find their intended target. He knows he's hit it when she tightens her grip on him, bends one leg up and raises her hips all simultaneously while letting out an audible gasp and moaning his name.

When he undoes the fifth and final button of her dress he is rewarded with a pair of the most beautiful hard-nippled breasts he's seen in a long while. Her free hand is on the back of his neck and she pulls his head down towards them. "Taste them Chakotay. Take as much as you want." She bites her bottom lip as the ache between her legs intensifies while he teases her with his mouth, using his tongue to circle her nipples then blows on them lightly causing shivers to appear all over her body. When he feels she is ready, he takes her panties off and slips himself inside her. The next half hour is magical, intimate and completely unforgettable. She is tight but welcoming every inch of him. He is watching her as he fills her, and each time he goes a little further in she cringes slightly. "Do you want me to stop? Am I hurting you?" he asks with concern.

She shakes her head back and forth letting out her breath. "No Chakotay, don't stop. I'll be fine. Keep going please." She opens her eyes and looks directly into his so he knows she's telling the truth. Almost instantly they get a rhythm going and he brings his head down to her mouth wanting to taste her sweet lips again. She runs her hand up his arm, squeezing his shoulders a couple time as a rush of love ripples through her then down to his side, finding his nipple with her thumb. She runs it across, smiling as she feels it perk up, just like hers do to him. "Oh Kathryn" he gasps in a whisper at her touch as he thrusts a little faster and deeper.

A slight breeze begins to blow, rustling the tall grass around them. They are too caught up in the moment to notice that the sun has completely disappeared now and the moon is starting to rise. As she feels another surge of passion course through her she bucks her hips faster, wanting to come for him, to ease the intense ache of desire she's feeling right now. Hard as she tries though, it doesn't happen and she moans in frustration. "Just let yourself go Kathryn."

"I'm trying, believe me...I'm _trying"_. It's been 20 minutes of intense hard core lovemaking and she's still no closer to having an orgasm. He stops thrusting which only makes the predicament worse. "Don't stop Chakotay please!" she begs him.

"I'm not. I'm just trying something different." Grabbing a firm hold on her hips, he rolls them over so that she is on top straddling him. "This worked for an ex-lover of mine." He slips inside her again and this time finds her clitoris and starts stroking it as she rocks against him. "Oh God Chakotay!" she moans as she feels herself getting aroused again. Spreading her legs wider she leans down and starts kissing his neck, getting a positive audible response from him also. Within minutes she is at her peak and grinding against him hard, her eyes squeezed shut, moaning "oh baby, oh baby, yes yes baby, just like that, yes" as she finally feels herself let go and crashes over the edge. Wave after wave courses through her and she can't stop herself. As he comes inside her she has one last intense over the top orgasm. "OH GOD! YES YES YES! OH CHAKOTAAYYY!"

When they're both done she collapses on top of him, both panting heavily and covered in perspiration. She rolls off him and they lay there on their backs staring up at the clear starry night sky while the moon shines full and bright bathing them in its light.

"How long have we been out here Chakotay?"

"I honestly can't tell you Kathryn. My mind wasn't really thinking about that."

"We better be getting back. I'm sure mom is wondering where we are." When they get back to the house Gretchen is sitting on the porch drinking coffee and enjoying the quiet sounds of the summer evening. Kathryn groans inwardly when she sees her, smiling at them as they approach. "Did you enjoy your walk?"

"You could say it was very...memorable." Chakotay couldn't hide his smile of amusement.

"I better go put Sasha to bed. I don't want her to be cranky tomorrow."

"I've already done it honey. I checked on her half an hour ago and she was sound asleep."

"Half...how long have we been gone?"

Gretchen pauses to think. "About 2 hours I think."

"TWO HOURS?" Kathryn is actually speechless. "I need a drink" she mumbles, disappearing inside while Chakotay stays sitting outside.

The only sounds outside for awhile are the sounds of frogs, crickets and other night time creatures. "It's okay to talk to me Chakotay. I may be an old woman but I still remember what real love is like, and how it makes you do impulsive things at times."

"Mrs. Janeway I never took advantage of Kathryn and I would never consider it. I'm not that kind of man."

Gretchen smiles at him. "Call me Gretchen please, and I know you are a respectful man. Kathryn doesn't get involved with men who aren't." When Kathryn comes back out Gretchen stands up. "I'm going to retire for the night. Thank you for coming today Chakotay. I will see you two in the morning. Good evening kids."

"I can't believe we were gone for two whole hours. Sasha must think I'm the worst mom around."

"No she's still young. She doesn't understand why our walk took so long other than we travelled farther than we planned." He watches her sip at her drink silently. "Tell me that's not alcohol."

"Actually it's iced coffee."

"Drinking that coffee this late is going to prevent you from sleeping tonight you know Kathryn."

"I've learned how to use it as a relaxing aide over the years. I'll be fine. So you never did tell me how the visit with your sister went."

"It was fine." Kathryn knows by this reaction there is more that he isn't saying. Getting up she sits on the long bench beside him and takes his hand. He looks up at her and she just looks back at him, silently encouraging him to continue talking. "It was hard. I thought that even though all these years had passed and after my letter from Sveta telling me about the other Maquis..." his voice trails away silently.

"War and destruction are never easy Chakotay, especially when it's the Cardassians you're fighting against." He nods his head in silent agreement.

"I've missed this."

"What?"

"Our nightly chats. Whether we were discussing business or just talking, I enjoyed the company." Her words hang in the still night air. Reaching over, he takes the cup from her and sets it on the porch floor then leans in, cupping her face. His other hand is still holding hers. Giving it a gentle squeeze he brings her face closer until their lips meet again. Memories of half an hour ago flood her mind and knowing how great it was she finds it hard not to just jump right to that point again. Apparently Chakotay is having a hard time also. "We have to be quieter this time. Sasha is sleeping in Phoebe's old room beside mine." Kathryn tells him huskily. His answer is muffled but she's pretty sure he said 'got it.'

The following morning Kathryn pads into the kitchen and immediately heads for the coffee pot. "Mommy how come I couldn't have Naomi spend the night but you got to have Commander Chakotay sleep over?"

"He's visiting for a few days and Grandma said it was okay." She takes her first sip then the caffeine kicks in. "Wait, how do you know he slept over?"

"I saw him when I got up for the bathroom. He was asleep on the couch. Now answer my question, how come you get sleepovers and I don't?"

"I would have let her friend Naomi stay over" Gretchen chimes in from her place at the kitchen table. Because Kathryn isn't fully awake yet her death glare has extra power behind it. "and the child has a point."

Kathryn sits down and rubs her tired eyes, knowing she's defeated in this discussion. "Okay fine, you can have Naomi spend the night if Ensign Wildman says it's okay."

"Yay! I'm going to go call her right now!" Sasha leaps up and runs out of the room. After she finishes her coffee Kathryn is just about to go upstairs for a shower when Chakotay knocks on the door. "Good morning."

"Morning. Come on in. Where did you come from?"

"Hi Commander. Guess what? Naomi is sleeping overnight tonight too. We can have a big sleepover party with you and mommy." Chakotay looks to Kathryn for her reaction. "A sleepover?"

"Ya. You know, like you and mommy had last night."

"She got up in the middle of the night and saw you asleep on the couch." Kathryn clarifies.

"Oh" he says, smiling understandingly.

"Naomi won't have to sleep on the couch tonight will she?"

"No sweetheart, of course not. She will sleep in your room with you just like you used to do on Voyager."

"Can I play with my toys until Naomi comes over?"

"Sure." Kathryn thought she saw sadness in her daughter's eyes but dismisses it. When lunchtime arrives Chakotay goes to get Sasha and notices she's crying while she plays. "Hey Sash, what's the matter?"

She quickly wipes her eyes and nose with her sleeve, sniffling. "nothing."

He puts his arm around her and wipes a stray tear with his finger. "From my experience with Janeway girls they don't cry for nothing. What's bothering you?" She doesn't say anything right away and Chakotay just sits with her, rubbing her back. Finally she tells him, "I want to go back on Voyager. I don't like it here."

"What don't you like about Grandma's?"

"It's too big and hot and I miss everyone. Seven of Nine, Neelix, Uncle Tuvok, Uncle Harry and Tom, Naomi and Ensign Wildman, Auntie B'Elanna..."

"Okay, I get the picture."

Sasha looks up at him pleadingly. "Will you take me back to Voyager with you? Please?"

"I'm sorry Sasha I can't. Voyager isn't in commission right now. Starfleet Command is making major repairs on it and it will take many more months.

"Take me with you anyways. I don't wanna live here anymore. I miss you the mostest."

"Are you guys coming or not? Lunch is getting hot." Kathryn asks from the doorway.

"Ya, in a minute." Chakotay turns back to Sasha. "Let's go eat then we can talk to mommy about how you feel after." Sasha nods and they go to the kitchen hand in hand.

After they finish eating Chakotay offers to clean up and help Gretchen around the house and yard while Kathryn and Naomi go pick up Naomi from the shuttle station in town. Once they are in the air Kathryn sets it to autopilot and turns to her daughter. "Chakotay told me that you told him you don't like it at Grandma's house and you want to go live back on Voyager again. Is this true Sasha?"

"Yes"

"Why don't you like it at Grandma's?" Kathryn had been hoping that Chakotay had misunderstood her daughter.

"It's not as fun and no one comes to see us. It's so boring."

Kathryn pulls Sasha onto her lap. "Sasha I've already talked to you about Voyager. Starfleet owns the starship, not us. We can't just go to it whenever we want to." Sasha stays quiet, focusing on the control panel while snuggling in close to her mom. "Where would you like to live if you had your choice?"

"I don't know" Sasha says with a shrug of her shoulder. They don't talk about it further and just enjoy this special mother/daughter time until they arrive. A small commotion outside catches Sasha's attention. "Naomi's here!" she cried out excitedly, scrambling for the hatch. Kathryn knows that the moment she leaves this shuttle the attention of the crowd will turn to her. She can't but smile though as she notices Sasha is ignoring the media completely, running straight for Naomi. Even though it's been 24 hours since they've seen each other Sasha acts like it's been more like 24 days or even months since they've been together.

The chirping of her personal communicator device catches her attention and she sees it is the Dean of Starfleet Academy contacting her. "Professor Naters" she greets, opening the link.

"Captain Janeway. I'm glad I got you. I want to arrange a meeting with you at your earliest convenience."

"May I ask what this meeting is in regards to?"

"We would like to offer you a chance to teach a class at the academy this semester if you're interested."

"Teach? Me?"

"Well not teach specifically but be more of an advisor. Speak to cadets using your experience of the last 7 years for reference."

Kathryn nods. "I see. Well it definitely sounds interesting. Let me think about it and I'll get back to you soon. Janeway out." With Sasha having Naomi to talk with on the way back to the house it gave Kathryn a lot of time to think about Professor Naters' offer. After Kathryn gets the shuttle landed she tells the girls "I have a business call to make so I need you to go play by yourselves until I'm done, okay?"

"Okay mommy" "yes ma'am"

Kathryn goes into her father's old study which is now a library and sun room. Turning on the communications computer she enters the co-ordinates for the call. "Captain Janeway. I didn't expect to hear from you so quickly."

"I have thought about your offer professor. Before I give you my decision I would like to know if you have any openings in the Archaeology department."

A few days after making her call to the professor Kathryn was walking by the study one day when she heard Sasha talking to herself. Stopping to look in she saw Sasha was sitting at the comm. Panel talking to someone else. Since Gretchen is away visiting Phoebe's family she knows that Sasha didn't ask for permission to use the communications computer. Rolling her eyes and letting out a sigh Kathryn is about to enter the room and reprimand Sasha for disobeying a rule when she heard her daughter's next words. "I'm serious Naomi. Seven and Uncle Tom were right all along; mommy and Commander Chakotay really are boyfriend and girlfriend." Kathryn doesn't hear Naomi's response. "Because he is still here and every night since you slept over he's slept in mommy's room with her. He was even in her bed once because I saw him holding her against him the same way I hold my Flotter doll against me when I go to sleep. And the night before last, I heard noises coming from mommy's room and she sounded like she was having a bad dream because she was moaning and moving around in her bed."

Kathryn groaned inwardly when she heard this last sentence. She jumps when she feels a hand on her shoulder. "Sorry I didn't mean to startle you" the owner of the hand says.

"It's alright; I shouldn't have been standing here eavesdropping on Sasha's conversation to Naomi. Unfortunately I'm sort of glad I did though." Kathryn gets both her and Chakotay a cold drink then they go to the living room and sit down. "She knows we're having sex."

"Your mom? She's known since Sasha's birthday party."

"No not mom. Sasha. I just heard her telling Naomi that she's seen you in my bed and heard me having 'bad dreams' every since Naomi went back home after sleeping over earlier this week."

"Are you going to talk with her about us then? Explain that it's not always bad dreams that you're having at night?"

"No, I'll wait until she brings up the subject. It's embarrassing enough knowing that she's heard us." Chakotay laughs out loud as he places a hand on Kathryn's knee. "I love this. Kathryn Janeway, the fearless Starfleet captain, embarrassed to admit that deep down under that hardened shell she surrounds herself in lays a regular woman with regular sexual needs."

"I'm glad I'm amusing you so much, _Commander._" Her tone is light even though she's pretending to be hurt by his comment. Out of the corner of her eye, Kathryn sees Sasha leave the study. "Sasha, honey, can you come here to the living room please? I want to talk to you about something."

"ya mommy?" she asks once seated.

"You remember earlier this week when you told me you don't like staying here and I asked where you would like to live and you told me you don't know."

"Yes"

"Well, how would you like to move to San Francisco California?"

"California? Where the ocean is?"

"Yes and where Starfleet Headquarters is."

"Why do you want to move there?"

"Well, Sasha, I've been given a promotion. I'm going to be a Vice-Admiral now and that means that I will have an office at Command Headquarters and I've also been asked to teach at the academy sometimes."

"Where will we live?"

"We'll be provided with an apartment. They want us there next week."

"What about you Chakotay? Where will you live if we move?"

"Well, actually, I've been given a job at the Academy too so I'll be moving to San Francisco also. There's one more thing too." Chakotay turns to face Kathryn and looks her in the eye. Taking her hand in his he asks seriously, "If it's alright with you and Sasha, Kathryn, I want you to be my wife."

"You want to marry mommy?" Kathryn is speechless. She looks at her daughter for her feelings about this sudden proposal. "Yes I do" Chakotay answers.

"Can I be a flower girl?"

"If you want to."

Sasha smiles at her mom happily and Kathryn returns the smile, glad that she's alright with this. "Okay, you can marry mommy."

Four months later Chakotay is standing on the grounds of Starfleet Headquarters wearing his dress uniform surrounded by hundreds of people. The media paparazzi are hidden away trying to get shots of the biggest news story since Voyager's return. "I can't believe this is actually happening" Kathryn softly says as she takes a deep breath.

"Believe it Kathryn." The organ music begins to play and Kathryn appears in an archway at the back of the seated guests. She holds on tightly to Owen Paris's arm as they slowly make their way down the aisle to the altar where B'Elanna, Phoebe, Naomi and Sasha are standing on the bride's side and Chakotay, Tom, Tuvok and Harry are standing on the groom's side.

When she reaches the front of the aisle Owen takes her hand and places it in Chakotay's. "Congratulations" he says, and then gives Kathryn a hug and kiss before taking his place in the front row beside his wife and granddaughter.

"If everyone is ready we will get this ceremony under way" the Admiral officiating the wedding says. "Kathryn Marie Janeway, do you take this man to be your husband in good times and bad, in sickness and in health, to love honour and cherish for as long as you both shall live?"

With a smile and in a loud clear voice she looks him directly in the eye and answers, "I do."

"Chakotay, do you take this woman to be your wife in good times and bad, in sickness and in health, to love honour and cherish for as long as you both shall live?" He looks her directly in the eyes and smiles, his big dimples showing. "I do."

"May I have the rings please?" B'Elanna hands the Admiral Chakotay's ring and Tuvok hands him Kathryn's ring. "By placing these rings on each other's finger you are showing everyone you encounter that you have both made a commitment to be with each other until your lives have completed a full circle from birth to death." This time Chakotay goes first and as he takes the gold band handed to him, he begins telling the legend of the Angry Warrior, causing Kathryn to silently chuckle with amusement. He doesn't get to finish the tale but when she takes the gold band from the Admiral and places it on Chakotay's finger, she finishes of the tale as small tears trickle down her cheek and her voice wavers slightly. When she finishes placing his ring on, she takes his hand and intertwines their fingers, just like they did 5.5 years ago on New Earth.

"By the powers invested in me by the United Federation of Planets and Starfleet Command, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Captain, you may now kiss your Admiral." The entire wedding party as well as the majority of the guests in attendance cheer and clap. When they finish, Kathryn and Chakotay turn around to face the guests and while still holding hands, Kathryn holds out her right hand to her daughter and together the three of them walk down the aisle, this time as an official family. When they are a third of the way down Sasha asks "mommy when are you going to tell him about the baby?"

"Baby?" Chakotay repeats, stopping suddenly and causing Tom & B'Elanna to almost bump into them.

"It was going to be a surprise for later tonight when we were alone but since she brought it up I guess I'll tell you now. I'm pregnant." Chakotay's face lights up, as well as Tom & B'Elanna's as they look to each other happy for the newlyweds. Grabbing Kathryn in his arms Chakotay pulls her tight to him and plants another big kiss on her mouth as holocamera's flash all around them.


End file.
